Cabinet heater



June 14, 1938. G. E. PICKUP CABINET HEATER Filed June 15, 1934 I 3 J'*- O-1 a 66 21 O I 62 I 428 48 64 52 68 IN v NToQ' 51 {I J5 6 0 L ,6 aeofge A.

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2 pflTTOQN rays Patented June 14, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,120,941 CABINET HEATER George E. Pickup. Newark, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Florence-Wehrle Stove 00., Newark. Ohio, a corporation of Ghio Application June 15, 1934;, Serial No. 730,712

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in heating stoves and is more particularly concerned with cabinet type heaters which are used to condition the-airin habitable enclosures such as '5 rooms in houses'and schools, or halls, stores, or the like where it is desirable to have an leflicient conditioning unit which is conveniently regulated and of pleasing appearance.

It is therefore an object of this invention to 10 provide a cabinet heater which is compactly and simply constructed, which is eflicient in operation tosecure balanced air conditioning and which is characterized by aesthetic qualities of high order.

Another object is to provide a cabinet heater havingair conditioning instrumentalities including-humidity apparatus and devices for heat con: trol and in which improved associated'means v are provided in'combination with the instrumentalities for placing the latter in proper relative operative conditionvto obtain the desired'results. Another object is to provide in a cabinet heater a plurality of air conditioning instrumentalities operatively associated-with the combustion unit and having associated indicating means grouped in proximate relation upon a face of the cabinet whereby the operator'may ascertain at a glance whether the instrumentalities are in proper operative conditionto produce the desired results; and also ,to provide means allied with the indieating means throughwhich the operator may with easeland assurance-maintain the instrumenv talities inproper operative condition at all times. Another object is to provide improved means for controlling each of the air. conditioning in- 35 strumentalities from a defined localized area of one face of the heater cabinet although the instrumentalities of necessity may be associated with various parts of the heater remote from the said localized area. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accom panying drawing, and in which:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the heater partly in vertical section to show details of the construction.

substan- Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional elevaing a surrounding cabinet enclosure which is provided at a convenient place, such as in the upper part of the front wall, with a control panel from which air conditioning instrumentalities, operatively associated with the combustion unit and including humidity apparatus and devices for heat control, are maintained in operative condition. This arrangement tends to increase the efliciency of the heater in that the operator will not through oversight or inexperience fail to observe the necessity for ascertaining the operative condition of each of the various instrumentalities to obtain the most efficient heating relationship. The provision'of means on the control panel in association with each of the aforesaid instrumentalities to visually indicate its present conditionfurther simplifies operation and increases the efficiency of the heater. This construction and arrangement constitutes a substantial improvement over prior constructions where regulation can only be effected at various isolated and necessarily scatteredportions of the heater, with a resulting tendency to fail to maintain the air conditioninginstrumentalities in proper operative condition in order to secure the desired effect from the heater, wherebyfuel waste and overheating results and the healthful conditions of the surrounding air are impaired.

Referring to the drawing, which shows an ex- 'emplary embodiment of the invention, the coinbustion unit comprises a suitable base member ID supporting an ash chamb er l2' upon which is carried the fire 'pot'l3 of the stove. A combustion chamber M is suitably fastened to the fire potl3 and has an access door l5 in one face.

A cabinet enclosure surrounds the stove and is supported on the base iii. The cabinet may comprise side plates l1 and I8 of sheet metal and a rear plate l9 similarly of sheet metal and having flanges 20 at opposite vertical edges to which the rear edges of the side plates are se-' cured. Where desired, of course, the rear and vertical edges of plates l1 and I8 The member 21 may be formed as one piece or may be cast in a'plurality of parts which are fitted together in the structure. A cast metal top member 24 'issecured to rear plate [9 and side plates Hand 18 by suitably attaching depending, flanges 2 5 to The front of I the upper part 26 on said plates. The front member 2| and the top 24 may be provided with suitable apertures as desiredso as to permit circulation of convection currents of air through the stove. u

Incidental to proper conditioning of the air, air conditioning instrumentalities including devices for heat control are provided in association with the combustion unit. Thus, there is provided a suitable draft opening in the upper part of the ash chamber E2 adjacent the bottom of the fire pot I3, and a draft damper 2'5 is hingedly connected to cover the opening. A hot blast tube 28 extends from the top of the combustion chamber l4 substantially inwardly toward the fire pot, and a damper plate 29 is hingedly positioned on top of the chamber to close the opening to the hot blast tube. A flue 30 is connected to the rear of the chamber l4 and extends through the rear plate 19 to connect with a flue vent. A

check damper 3! is hingedly carried by the flue 3D for a well known purpose.

Heretofore, it has been customary to provide means adjacent the controls themselves to regulate the various described controls. But, due to carelessness or inexperience on the part of the operator, the proper relative adjustment of the controls was often neglected and consequently large amounts of fuel were needlessly wasted through inefficient operation. In order to have the most comfortable condition within a room it is necessary to maintain a balanced ratio between the heat production and the prevailing atmospheric temperature conditions.

By the present invention, means are provided whereby regulation of all the various controls is conducted from a given centralized area of one face of the cabinet even though. some of the controls may be fairly remote from the said area. To this end, a control panel 33 is provided as a part of the described cabinet enclosure, preferably as an inwardly offset portion of the front member 2|. This panel 33 may be formed as an integral part of the front 2| or may be a separate unit attached thereto in any suitable manner. Associated means for regulating thevarious controls to maintain the same in proper operative condition are carried by the panel and will now be described.

The draft damper 2? is provided with a laterally extending rigidly secured rod 34 to, the end of which there is pivotally connected a substantially vertically extending link 35. The up per end of the link 35 is pivotally attached to the end of an arm 36 by any suitablemeans, such as a pin or bolt connection 35a. The opposite end of the arm 36 is rigidly secured to a rod 31 extending through the panel 33 for rotary move ment and having rigidly secured to its outer end suitable means such as a handle 38 for operating the same. By turning the handle 38 and the rod 31 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1, the outer end of the arm 36 is raised to impart upward movement to the link 35 which in turn will lift the rod 34 and the attached draft dampe 21 to open the same. r

The check damper 3| may be similarly operated through a handle 39 attached to a rotatable rod 40 extending through the panel 33. to the back of the stove and supported at its inner end by a bracket 4| attached to the upper surface of the flue 35. The inner end of the rod 40-is rigidly secured to an arm 42 pivotally connected to one end of a link 43. The link 43 is pivotally connected at'its other end to a rod 45 Which 15 attached at' the freely movable edge of the damper 3!. By turning the handle 39 and rod 40 in a clockwise direction as View in Fig. l, the arm is moved in a similar direction to cause the link 43 to carry the rod 45 and the edge of the damper 3| to the right to open the damper.

A-similar link arrangement is associated with the hot blast damper 25 for operating the same. A handle 41 is connected to the outer end of a rotatable rod 48 which projects through the panel 33 and has an arm 5|] rigidly connected to its inner end and adapted for. rotation therewith. The other end of the arm 50 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 5| which in turn is pivotally connected at its opposite end to a rod 52 attached at the free end of the damper 29. A clockwise movement of the handle 41 will carry the arm 50 and link 5| upwardly to open the damper 29 and permit air to be drawn into the tube 28 for operation of the hot blast.

In order to secure accurate adjustment of the above mentioned .heat controls and to insure that the same will be maintained in the desired position, friction means are provided to maintain the controls in any position to which they may be adjusted by actuation of the respective handles. 'The friction means are preferably of similar construction throughout and may comprise springs 54 axially disposed about rods 31, 40 and 48 and bearing .against abutment plates 55 which are retained in spaced relation to the panel 33 by pins 56. Washers 51 bear against the face of the panel 33 and serve as bearings for the ends of the springs 54. Spacers 58 which may be in the formof washers or comprise partof the handles themselves are interposed between the handles 38; 39 and 41 and the outer face of the panel 33 and facilitate'manipulation of the handles. The'springs 54 are maintained under sufficient compression to maintain substantial frictional contact between the handles and the panel 33 in order tocounteract the tendency of the various dampers to close through force of gravity, until the handles are urged positively counter-clockwise to cause the dampers to assume their closed positions. Simplicity of operation is secured by the provision of the similarly manipulated regulating means in association with each of the heat control devices.

Each ofhandles 38, 39 and 41 is preferably of a similar uniform construction and is provided with an indicator such as a pointer 59, or other suitable means, cooperating with a series of calibrations 65 or the like on the adjacent panel surface to visually indicate the then operative condition of the controls which is determined by the position of the handles. The operators judgment as to the extent to which any damper is open at any given time is thereby eliminated and the exact condition of the control device always ascertainable. By supplying simple instructions as to the proper relationship of the various indicators for given eifects, efficient operation of the stove by inexperienced persons is possible. The uniform arrangement of the handles and indicators on the panel, as seen in Fig. 1 lends'a harmonious and pleasing appearance to the structure.

Greatest heating efficiency is attainedbymaintaining the atmosphere within the roomat the proper humidity. This is due to the fact that the actual temperature will not have to be maintained at an excessive degree in order to'secure a comfortable condition. Proper atmospheric humidity is likewise an aid to health. Another air Conditioning instrumentality in the improved" cabinet heater'of this invention, therefore, consists of humidity'apparatus. 'In the illustrated example, this comprises a water container 62 supported by a suitable bracket 63 on the rear wall it of the cabinet'and in operative association with the combustion chamber I4, so that the container will be'heated to cause evaporation of water con.-

, tained therein.

Heretofore, the maintenance of the humidifier V in proper operative condition has depended container was often allowed to remain dry. In

consequence 'fuelwaswasted because the air necessarily had to be excessively heated to secure any degree of comfort,.and' health was impaired due tothe abnormal dryness induced bythe faulty operation. The present invention overcomes these objections through the provision of an indicator forming part of the apparatus and preferably included as part of the control panel 33 in conjunction with the hereinbefore described indicators of the heat control devices.

Means for operating the indicator may include a float 64 to which is attached an upwardly extending float rod 65. A supporting bracket 65 is secured to the top of the chamber M of the stove and is provided with a fulcrum bearing 61 carrying an angularly bent portion of a fulcrum lever 68. One end of the lever 68 is pivotally connected to the float rod 65, and the other end of the lever fifl'extends through a slot 69 in the panel 33 and has an indicator finger 10. A suitably calibrated gauge may be provided adjacent the slot 69 so that the position of the finger it! will indicate the amount of water inthe container 52 as the float 64 iscarried down by evaporation of the water. Downward movement of the rod 65 will pull the connected end of the lever 58 downwardly whereby the lever will pivot in the fulcrum bearing 6'! to raise the opposite end of the lever and concordantly vary the position of the finger 10 which thus shows the amount of water remaining, in the container and calls the operator's attention to the need' for refilling the same.

In order to maintain the humidifier in proper operative condition means are provided adjacent the indicator Ill for conveniently filling the container 62. Means for conveying water, such as an inclined trough H, is attached at one end to the container by a suitable angle bracket 12, and at its end the trough is connected by means of an angle bracket 13 to the lower edge of the panel 33. A guide 130. for the fioat rod 65 may be secured to the end of trough II and prevents surface tension of the Water in the container 62 from forcing the float '64 to the side of the container. A funnel-shaped member 14 is provided behind the panel 33 and is pivotally supported at the edge of an aperture 15 therein by means of a hinge connection 16. A door Tl having a handle 18 is connected by means of a bracket 19 to the funnel l4 and covers the aperture '15. When the door TI is pulled outwardly the flaring upper part of the funnel will be exposed and water may be poured therethrough into the trough which conveys the liquid to the reservoir 62 for maintaining this air conditioning instrumentality in proper operative condition.

By arranging all of the means for maintaining the air conditioning instrumentalitiesin proper operative condition at. a common locality on the cabinet enclosure, as provided by the panel 33, the operator has,within-narrow limits and conveniently accessible, the controls necessary to procure the most effective results from the stove for any desired heating ratio. Moreover, the relative adjustment or condition of every control is ascertainable at a glance.

A closure member 8!! is preferably arranged flush with the front member 2| to enclose the panel 33 and the means carried thereby in order toren'derthe cabinet enclosure of generally uniform and pleasing, appearance. Suitable means such as hinge lugs 3! (Fig. 3) may be secured to the'bottoni of member and fit into apertures 82 formed below panel 33. A fiange 83 is preferably formed at the upper edge of member 80 and fits into an offset portion forming a seat 84 at the edge of top member 24. A manually engageable portion 85- at the upper corner of the member 80 facilitates manipulation of the member. The member 30 is swung outwardly to the dotted line position in Fig. 2 to gain access to the panel, and may readily be entirely removed if desired.

Before the stove has reached any degree of Heat, the handles 38, 39 and 4'! may be manipulated by the hand of the operator. However, after the stove has been in operation for some time, the handles may become too hot to be touched. It is therefore desirable to provide means whereby the handles may be manipulated so that the operator will not burn himself. An exemplary manner of accomplishing this comprises forming the han-. dles in bar shape, and providing a key 81 (Fig. 4) having a slot 88 formed in its end and adapted to receive a handle for turning the same.

I will state in conclusion; that while the illus- .trated embodiment of the invention discloses a a preferred form, it is to be understood that the same may be considerably modified in detailwithout departing from the'spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cabinet heater comprising, in combination, a combustion unit, a cabinet enclosing said unit in spaced relation to provide an air circulation space thereabout, a humidity tank located near the top of said unit in communication with said circulation space todeliver into the circulating air water vapor generated by heat transmitted from said unit to said tank, one wall of said cabinet including an inwardly recessed portion lo cated above the top of said tank and having an opening therein, a funnel member in communication with said tank mounted to lie normally in an out-of-the-way position behind said recessedportion and being movable forwardly through said opening substantially beyond the front face of said recessed portion to expose the upper end thereof for receiving water for said tank, manually engageable means on said funnel for withdrawing the same, and a removable closure fit panel section in the upper part thereof above the top of said tank, said section having an aperture therein, a funnel member mounted behind said section and being movable through said aperture to receive water, for said tank, and a trough sloping from said panel section toward said tank secured at one end to said panel section below said funnel to receive water therefrom and being secured at its opposite end to said tank in position to discharge water thereinto.

3. In a cabinet heater of the character described, the combination of a heat unit having a cabinet surrounding the same in spaced relation laterally and above to provide an air circulation, space thereabout, a humidity tank mounted in heat receiving relation near the upper part of said unit and communicating with, said space to deliver water vapor to the circulating air, one vertical wall of said cabinet including a panel section above the top of said tank having an opening therein, a Water funnel mounted behind said section for movement through said opening, means for conducting water from said funnel to said tank, said panel section having a Vertical slot adjacent to said opening, a lever arm having an indicator at one end projecting through said slot and extending through said space with its opposite end overlying said tank in vertically spaced relation, a bracket mounted upon the upper part of said heating unit and pivotally supporting said arm at a fulcrum point intermediate its ends, a link depending from 'said tankoverlying end of the arm and having a float at its lower end located within said tank and adapted to rise and fall with the changes in water level therein to move said link vertically for causing said arm and said indicator to shift correspondingly, and means for guiding said link in the vertical movements thereof to hold said float against lateral movement into engagement with the wall of the tank.

GEORGE E. PICKUP. 

